Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have/had an african side neck, named Wrinkles. I was moving yesterdya so I decided to clean his cage. Well i kept wrinkles out in a box out back at the new house while i was cleaning his cage out front. Well I went to check back 10 min later and Wrinkles was gone. We looked everywhere with the flashlight for almost 2 hours and found nothing. I live in good ole' Indiana and I know if I don't find him soon he will surely perish. I am so angry at myself. I made signs for "Missing Turtle" and put them in the new neighbor's doors. I hope he is found. I also plan on putting signs at the local pet stores incase anyone brings him in there. Say some prayers for me, any other hints you think I should do????
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http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dubaliscous/lst?.dir=/Pablo(Picasso panther chameleon)&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/
1.0 Picasso panther chameleon (Pablo)
0.2 Bearder Dragons (Mic Dundee and Red)
0.1 Leopard gecko (Leo)
2.2 Red-eyed tree frogs
1.0 African side-necked mud turtle (Wrinkles)
1.1 Fire bellied toads
Emperor Scorpion (not sexed)

I will pray and I would keep checking near any unsuspected places areas because that is where they usually go.

When you found the container, was it upset or tipped, suggesting escape, or is there a possibility in your area that a predator, aerial or otherwise, dined on Wrinkles?

I have a very resourceful snapping turtle that once used a decorative log to make a drawbridge from his island to the edge of the pond. I'm not sure how a turtle does such a thing, but I found him several hours later digging under a rose-bush, presumably to find sancuary from our summer heat.

You may try looking at sources for food, water, and espacially shelter.

I have lost many animals, espacially those more environment sensitive-treefrogs, and have found them in incredible yet intelligently chosen places. My oldest treefrog escaped, and I found her in a plant watering-can. Another like her was found in my cricket bin. Yet another wrapped himself in the corner of a map to conserve moisture, all on seeparate occasions. (I experimented with different coverings suited to keep the right level of moisture in a cage against our extremely dry Colorado air, leading to the advent of new escape options to deal with as well...)

I hope you find your turtle and you have my prayers.

Phal

Keep looking.
I actually had a small guy dissappear in my basement last year.
Drove me nuts.
Eventually found him 3 days later.

Nearly the same identicle story happened to me about a decade ago during a July with my Reeves Turtle. This was during a drought in Chicago that lasted the whole summer (not the Heat Wave of 95, but a few years before that). In any case, the turtle was missing for more than a month and was found alive and well in the window well to my basement. Don't give up, search everywhere. The turtle will most likely seek out shelter or water. Check places where you might it might find food items. My turtle may have beem living off of insects, frogs, or the occasional dead chipmunk. What was shocking was his tolerance for lack of water. When we finally did find him he was as healthy as the day he disapeared. Good Luck.
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1.0 Woma
1.0 Australian Water Python
1.0 Australian Olive Python
1.0 Albino Green Burmese
1.0 Lereh Green Tree Python
1.1 Loxocemus bicolor (New World "Pythons" )
1.1 Hog Island Boas
0.0.1 Chinese Thread Turtle
1.0 Alligator Snapper
0.0.1 FL Red belly
0.0.2 Leopard Tortoises
0.0.4 "Flame" Crested Geckos
1.0 Yellow Ackie